Automatic hooks



IM f] 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. W. JONES AUTOMATIC HOOKS Jan. 3, 1956 Filed sept. 15. 1952 ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1956 H. w. JoNEs 2,729,496

AUTOMATIC Hooxs Filed Sepi. l5 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 I N VE NTOR Harig Jones ATTORNEY5 United States Patent y 2,729,496 AUTOMATIC HooKs Harry W. Jones, Knoxville, Tenn., assignor to Dempster Brothers, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Application September 15, 1952, Serial No. 309,625

12 Claims. (Cl. 294-83) This invention relates to improvements in automatic hooks, particularly of the type employed in transporting and dumping equipment, such as disclosed in the patents of George R. Dempster, No. 2,369,722, February 20, 1945, and No; 2,404,830, July 30, 1946. t

In such transporting and dumping equipment a container is lifted by a hoisting unit onto a skid frame and is provided with a bail connected with the container for engagement with an automatic hook on the skid frame to facilitate dumping of the container either' by`tilt`ing action or by lowering of a drop bottom door thereon. Frequently the containers are loaded improperlytwith the load centered toward one side or the other which causes a shifting of the container onthe skid frame. At` times the container may turn completely over because of a shifting of the load to the rear which would raise the bail out of the dumping hook. Frequently in dumping the tilt-type container, the bail raises `vertically by an upward travel of the container on the skid frame. `Such occurrences may cause disengagement of the container from the skid frame and the hook customarily provided thereon for holding the container in place which would interfere with the proper dumping of the container and the handling thereof on the unit.

One object of this invention is to overcome these ob` jections by providing a safety catch which will insure the fastening of the bail in the hook until the catch is released and it is desired to disengage the container from the skid frame. t i

A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of the automatic hook of a hoisting and dumping unittby providing a safety catch thereon which will retain the container in the hook effectively not only during transportation, but also during dumping until release and removal thereof are desired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a safety hook for an automatic dumping hook which is simple in construction and may be applied thereto and operated eifectively to retain the container engaged within the automatic hook until release thereof is desired.

These objects may be accomplished accordingto one embodiment of this invention by the provision of a safety catch or hook which is mounted on the automatic hook of the hoisting unit in such relation thereto as to engage over the bail in the throat of the automatic hook and retain the bail in place therein effectively until the safety catch cr hook is removed manually or by power. The safety catch is so connected with the automatic hook as to prevent the accidental disengagement of the container due to shifting of the load or container in handling or dumping until pulled out of place and disengaged when release thereof is accomplished.

his embodiment is` illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:` i

Fig. l is a front elevation of the improved automatic hook showing the invention applied thereto;`

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section therethrough on the line2 2inFig.1;

2,729,496 Patented Jan. 3, 1956 Nice Fig. 3 is a side elevation from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the safety hook or catch detached;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof.

The invention is shown as applied to transporting and dumping equipment of the type which uses a skid frame mounted on a carriage such as that set forth in Patent No. 2,369,722, granted February 20, 1945. The carriage is designated generally by the numeral 1 and includes skid frame members 2 spaced apart and adapted to receive thereon a container C either of the tilt-type or of the drop bottom type which may be transported and dumped from the hoisting unit of the equipment. The container C is usually provided with a bail B Vto be engaged by an automatic hook on the carriage 1 to facilitate handling and dumping of the container.

In the form shown, the automatic hook comprises a body 3 in the form of an elongated member or casting pivotally supported by a pin 4 which extends transversely of the carriage 1 between spaced portions of the skid bars 2 in which the pin is secured. The lower end portion of the body 3 has a laterally projecting hook formed with a throat or seat 5 adapted to receive the bail B therein and an extended tip 6 on the opposite side of the throat S from the body 3, tending to retain the bail seatedlin the throat.

The body 3 is provided also with a pair of laterally spaced ribs 7, the outer surfaces of which are curved as shown in Fig. 2 to form cams especially at the top and bottom thereof to facilitate the discharge of the bail from the hook, as will be explained hereinafter. A pair of vertically spaced pins 8 are secured to the ribs 7 and extend therebetween, forming a guide for a shuttle member 9 that is slidably mounted on the pins 8 between the ribs 7 in position to engage the tip 6 of the hook to confine the bail B in the throat 5.

The automatic hook described above is substantially the same in construction and manner of operation as that set forth in `the Dempster Patent No. 2,404,830, granted July 30, 1946.

The carriage 1 is usually inclined somewhat, as indicated in Fig. 2, and it is desired to turn the body 3 in such relation that the throat 5 and the tip 6 will be held normally projecting out of the plane of the front face of the skid bars 2 of the shuttle. This is provided by a pair of springs 10 anchored at one end of each to a bracket 11 on the carriage 1 and, at the opposite end of each, the springs 10 are connected with a cross bar 12 on a springbracket 13. The spring bracket 13 is welded or otherwise secured rigidly to the cross pin 4 on which the hook body 3 is pivotally mounted and secured so as to rotate the pin 4- and cause swinging movement of the body 3 of the hook in response to the tension of the springs 1t) acting on the bracket 13. Thus, swinging movement of the body 3 in a clockwise direction, as in Fig. 2, will stretch the springs 1t) and cause the latter normally to return the hook body 3 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, upon release of the turning force supplied thereto, thus normally tending to maintain the automatic hook in the position shown in Fig. 2.

At the lower end of the body 3 is a cross pin 14 extending transversely therethrough. A `safety catch or safety hook is pivotally supported on the pin 14 for swinging movement relative to the body 3 to retain the bail B in the throat 5.

In the embodiment shown, this safety hook or safety catch comprises a unitary structure including a pair of side members 15 which are elongated vertically. The members 15 are secured rigidly at their lower ends on the 414 in embracing 'relation with the body 3, being spaced'apart transversely. v-Set screws are shown at 16 for securing the members -1-5 on the pin 14.

The. upper ends'of the members 15 are formedwith Jnook portions I17 that are turned downward in opposing relation with the hook` portions 5--6 in the automatic hookiso'a'sito overlie 'th'eb'ail B when vrseatedinthroat 5 of the latter and having an extended tip on each side member 15, as i'i'idic'ated at 1B, substantiallyinvertical alignment with the tip Gon the automatic hook.

This safety, hook Yor safety catch 15-181normally is 'maintainedfinther position shown in Fig. l2 by a coiled 'spring 19, one end ofvwhich is connected with ananch'or "bolt '2'0 while'the other end of vthespring 19 is'connected Hivith'a cross'b'a'r l21 yextending between lugs 22 that are ksecured byA welding or otherwise y rigidly with vthe lside VV'r'r'xe'rnbers' `1'5'ofthe'safety/"hook, 4The spring 19 should have `somewhat'lighter tension than the springs 410 to yield more readily. Y Y

, yThe side members 15 are' provided at their upper ends 'with meanstoawithdraw the safety hook or catch either manually or by power. In Vthe Vform illustrated, this means -issh'own as 'including lugs 2'3 weldedor otherwise jseeuredrigidly to the lateral edges of the `side'mern'be'rs Sandfextending outwardly therefrom. The lugs 23'a're h'el'd in spaced 'relation by a bar 24 vextending in bridging relationthrebetweem vas shown in Figs. 4 to 6. A yoke A2.5 4isseciur'ed to the vbar :24 and forms a' means of attachinentwith thesafety hook to release'the latter. The bar `-24 'also serves lto limit the-swinging movement ofthe safety-hook`forwa`rd by the-:tension of the spring 19, abutting against the body 3. These partsfmay be welded together Vor otherwise secured so as to function as'one unit. vTheyoke/may be engaged by "any suitable means to release "the ls'a'lfetyeatch, either. manually lor by power. A cable kmay-'beattached' thereto and 'extended to a point Within A'convenient,reach ofthe operator for manual "actuation, pulling 4"on-:the cable to disengag'e the safety 'catch andpermit theb'ail B to be 'removed from the automatic hook in the usual -Lmanner. However, if desired, power means may be used for'fthisp'rpose, such 'as an electric solenoid, hydraulic, 'air or a vacuum fpower device.

In theoperation of vthe Va'l'l'tom'atic hook it `will be evide'nt 'that the Vvcontainer will `be engaged in the rautomatic hook and disengaged therefrom substantially as described in :the Dempster PatentvNo. 2,404,830, dated July 30, 1946. As the container'jC isp'u'lled up theskid barsZ 'on the lcarriage '1, the'bail B will push the automatic hook back"against-thejtensionof'thejsprings '10 outof the path of `the `b'ail B. The bail B will ride over the tipf6 'on the automatic hook and fo'ver the 'shuttle member 9 and ribs 7V to lan elevated vposition/above the jautomatic hook i'n the'normal vcarryingposition of the container.

When the operator lowers the container, -the bail "B also Will rideover the "r'ibs 7, 'pushing the automatic 'hook back against the tension -of the ysprings 10. The 'container may be 1lowered 'entirely to the ground if desired without engaging the bail with 'the 'automaticlhook, vin whicheventthe'container will not be'y dumped. However, if'the operator'desires to dump Ithe container, the lowering movement thereof will bestopped rwhen the bail has been lowered just vclear of the shuttle membena'fter 'which a slight f'raising movement of the container will lift nthe Y shuttle member '9 and allow the bail to pass into the throat 5. With a little experience the operator'will be able to detect the proper position of the container for this`- action and `will hear the-opening-of the shuttle-member so that he will know thatfthe bail isen'g'aged with tlieautom'atic hook. The'movem'ent of v'the 'bail Bint() the throat 5 will-cause labac'kward swinging movement of the safety hook 15 relative thereto aboutthe'aXisbf its"'pivot'14, but after the bail drops 'into'the'throat 5'of the lautomatic vhook the "safety `hook 15 is'moved therever to -it'scoveriri'glposition as` shown in Fig. 2, 'und'ertlie action of the spring 19. The latter spring is somewhat weaker-than thesprings l1'0 so as vto yield to this movement of the bail without movement of the automatic hook from its normal position. In other words, the safety locking hook 15 is pushed out of the way, while the automatic hook, held in its outward position by the springs 10, must maintain that position until lthe'forces of the springs 10 are also overcome by the movement of the bail. By having the spring 19` somewhat weaker, the safety hook 15 would naturally push out of the way automatically while the automatic hook is held in engagement andthe bail is allowed to fall into the throat ofA the automatic 'hook before the safety hook 15 would then spring into position yafter'release therefrom of the bail out of engagement therewith.

After the bail is in the automatic hook as shown in Fig. 2, it will be retained therein securely by the safety hook 15 until the latter is pulled out of its normal posi- 'tion as "shown, 'either manually or by power. When 'the lsafety -hjoo'k is' swungfor'ward over the top of the bail as 'shown in Fig. 2,'th'e clearance between the point ofthe 'safety hookiand'the 4tip 6 of the 4automatic hook is less than theA diameter of a vcross section of the bail which completely f'precludesthe possibility of the bail getting 'out of the safety hook until the latter is pulled out of engagement or vout "of its normal position.

lIt vvill"be evident that the upward movement of the bail-for' movement "of thec'ontainer into a carrying posiltion isl entirely automatic as in the'prior Patent No. 2,369,722. In 'loweringthe Vcontainer the movement is also 'automatic'unless 'the operator decides 'to dump the containerxandput thcbail into 'engagement with the automatic 'hoolrraising the shuttle member on the latter. It isl'only atths point thatthe'safety hook becomes operative 'anditwillmove in over the top Aof the bail, closing rov'er `the latter, thus Ysecurely locking the bail 'in position'unt'il the'safety `hook is removed. This is entirelyautomatic as the safety hook 'is pushed out ofthe way 4bythel bail itself, but it remains in automatic holding "relation With'the bail when the latter is in the throat 'of Athe automatic hook until'the safety hook is moved either manually or by power `out of its holding relation with the bail. y

VThis `safety"ho`ok 'prevents the raccidental disengage- 'mentof 'the bail from the automatic hook either by shiftingof'the container on the carriage or by a shifting of the load in the container, or in dumping. Frequently-it 'has :beenfoundthat a shifting of the load in the/container "would raise the Vbail'out of the dumping hook, butfths islprevented' by the automatic safety hook or'catch here'provided. Furthermore, the bail has Vbeen raised out "of 'th'e "automatic hook used heretofore in dumping containers 'of Vthe 'tilt-'type due to the upward traveloffthe container on the vskidframe, but this also wouldi'be prevented ibythe safety hook of this invention.

' The disengagementfof the 'containerfromthe automatic hook is 'accomplished 'effectively aftertirst 'withdrawing the safety 'hoktfrom its normal position shown in Fig. '2. Theb'ail Bslides the .shuttle 9 upwardly 'aslthe container is raised and thenY engages the cam surface on the ribs 7 to clear the 'shuttle 9, allowing the latter to ai's'aft'yhookforetaining a member yin the.hok"portion,

"adsense said safety hook including amembermounted beside the body, means pivotally connecting said member with the body, said member having a hook portion thereon `in position to be disposed in overlying opposed relation to the hook portion on the body, yieldable means connected with the member normally tending to hold said memberwith the hook portion -thereof in opposedrelation with the body hook portion, and means connected with the member for moving the member laterally out of said normal position.

2. An automatic hook comprising a body having a hook portion thereon for mounting the body for pivotal movement, and a safety hook for retaining a member in the hook portion, said safety hook including a pair of side members in embracing relation with the body, means pivotally supporting the side members on the body below the hook portion for `swinging movement relative thereto, said side members having hook portions in positions to overlie the hook portion on the body to conline a member therein, and means connected with the members yieldably tending to hold said members in said opposed relation.

3. An automatic hook comprising a body having a hook portion thereon for mounting the body for pivotal movement, a safety hook for retaining a member in the hook portion, said safety hook including a pair of side members in embracing relation with the body,` means pivotally supporting the side members on the body below the hook portion for swinging movement relative thereto, said side members having hook portions in positions to overlie the hook portion on the body to conne a member therein, means connected with the members yieldably tending to hold said members in said opposed relation, and a yoke connected with the members at points spaced from the connection of the yieldable means therewith for moving the members out of said normal position.

4. An automatic hook comprising an elongated body having a hook portion on one end thereof, means `pivotally supporting the body at the opposite end thereof, movable `means for retaining a member in the hook portion, and a safety hook for retaining a member in the hook portion of the body, said safety hook including elongated side members arranged in embracing relation with the body, means pivotally mounting the side members at one end on the body adjacent the hook portion, said side members having hook portions thereon at the opposite end arranged in overlying relation with the hook portion on the body, yieldable means connected with the side members normally tending to hold the hook portions thereof in said opposed relation with the hook portion on the body, and means connected with said members for withdrawing the same out of said normal positions,

5. An automatic hook comprising an elongated body having a hook portion on one end thereof, means at the opposite end thereof for pivotally supporting said body, and a safety hook for retaining a member in the hook portion of the body, said safety hook including a pair of side members arranged in embracing relation with the body and elongated lengthwise thereof, a pin pivotally mounting the members at one end thereof on the body at an end of the body adjacent the hook portion, each of said side members having a hook portion thereon arranged at the opposite side of the hook portion of the body from said pin and overlying the hook portion on the body in opposed relation therewith to retain a member in said hook portion, a lug connected with the side members and extending laterally therefrom, a coiled spring connected with the lug at one end, and an anchoring bolt connected with the opposite end of the spring and with the body normally tending to tension the spring to hold the side members in normal positions with the hook portions thereof overlying the hook portion on the body.

6. An automatic hook comprising an elongated body having a hook portion on one end thereof, means at the opposite endthereof for pivotally supporting said body, and a safety hook for retaining a member in the hook portion of the body, said safety hook including a pair of side members arranged in embracing relation with the body and elongated lengthwise thereof, a pin pivotally mounting the members at one end thereof on the body at an end of the body adjacent the hook portion, each of said side members having a hook portion thereon arranged at the opposite side of the hook portion of the body from said pin and overlying the hook portion on the body in opposed relation therewith to retain a member in said hook portion, a lug connected with the side members and extending laterally therefrom, a coiled spring connected with the lug at one end, an anchoring bolt connected with the opposite end of the spring and with the body normally tending to tension the spring to hold the side members in normal positions with the hook portions thereof overlying the hook portion on the body, lugs secured on the side members at the opposite end thereof from the pin and extending outwardly therefrom, a bar secured in bridging relation between the last-mentioned lugs and arranged to form an abutment against a side of the body to limit swinging movement of the safety hook in one direction relative thereto, and a yoke secured to the bar for moving the side members in the opposite direction out of said normal position.

7. An automatic hook comprising an upright elongated body having a hook portion thereon adapted to receive a member therein, means for pivotally supporting the body about a transverse axis at a point above the hook portion, a shuttle movably mounted on the body in opposed relation to the hook portion for deflecting the member from the hook portion upon downward movement of the member relative thereto, and a safety hook separate from the shuttle and movably mounted on the body with a hook portion normally overlying the hook portion on the body for retaining the member therein.

8. An automatic hook comprising an upright elongated body having a hook portion thereon adapted to receive a member therein, means for pivotally supporting the body about a transverse axis at a point above the hook portion, a shuttle movably mounted on the body in opposed relation to the hook portion for deflecting the member from the hook portion upon downward movement of the member relative thereto a safety hook separate from the shuttle and movably mounted on the body with a hook portion normally overlying the hook portion on the body for retaining the member therein, and means pivotally mounting the safety hook on the body below the hook portion thereof for swinging movement relative thereto.

9. An automatic hook comprising an upright elongated body having a hook portion thereon adapted to receive a member therein, means for pivotally supporting the body about a transverse axis at a point above the hook portion, a shuttle movably mounted on the body in opposed relation to the hook portion for deecting the member from the hook portion upon downward movement of the member relative thereto, a safety hook separate from the shuttle and movably mounted on the body with a hook portion normally overlying the hook portion on the body for retaining the member therein, means pivotally mounting the safety hook on the body below the hook portion thereof for swinging movement relative thereto, means yieldably urging the safety hook into overlying relation over the hook portion on the body, and means for withdrawing the safety hook from said normal position for removal of the member.

lO. An automatic hook comprising an upright elongated body having a hook portion thereon adapted to receive a member therein, means for pivotally supporting the body about a transverse axis at a point above the hook portion, a shuttle movably mounted on the body in opposed relation to the hook portion for deflecting the member from the hook portion upon downward movev ment'. ofthememberarelative thereto, Aand aisafety hook separate -from thefshuttle and -movably mounted von the body with a fhookiportionnormally voverlying the hook portion onuthe Vbiodyfor retaining the member therein,

yieldablemeans acting-on the safety hook urging the hooklpovrtion@thereof-over the-rst-mentioned hook portion, said'rhookr portion-on the safety hook being in the pathofv the membenupon movement-of the member .and

af-safetyhook--separate from the shuttle and movably v mounted onfthebody beside the shuttle, said safety lhook havinga hook portion overlapping the hook portion on the bodyforretaining said ymember in the first-mentioned hook portiomand meansfor limiting the outermostposition of the'second-imentioned hook portion to a point between the body portion and an upright plane at the outer edge of the first-mentioned hook portion.

V1,2.tAn lautomatic r-hokeomprising an upright elon gated-bodyhavinga hook portion thereon and projecting laterallyafrom'the body, a shuttle mounted on the belyfore/.movementutoward and -from the --hookrportio'm said .shuttle rhavin'g lanf-fabutmentportiml `Proi'tixig lklieraliyI-from the body-overlapping the hookgportion'and outwardly` beyond vthe *l end Yof the vhook iportion in {position forV engagement by -a member moving `upward .over the hook touliftthe shuttle Atherebyand enter the hook, a Vsafety hook yseparate vfrom `the yshuttle and movably mountedlonthe Abodybeside .theV shuttle,` said safety hook having a.hook.portion-overlapping .the hook portion ion the body"for retaining said member inthe tirsbmentiorred hook portion, `means tor-.limiting the outermostposition .of thevsecondementioned hookportion Yto -apoint between the'bodywpotion andan upright lplaneet the outer edge offthe first-mentioned hook portion, and means yieldabiy .urging -the safety Ahook Itoward the lastmen tionedfposition forretaining'fthe Vmember in the Iirstmentioned :hook portion withthe vshuttle -t'hereoven References yCited 3in ,thefle of this `,patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 134573648 "B'tfilly June A5, 1923 1,576,197 Kuiel et al. Mar. 9, 1926 52,700.97'593'8 M-ab^c"k- July 30, 1935 '20912693 v'Buecicone etffl. NAug. 24, 1937 224114,83() FDelflfster "July "30, 1946 25442106 Dempster July 13, 1948 2,582,990 'IIatta'tl dan. 22, "11952 2,644,407 vviM(C-n'mitll( July 7, V1953 

